[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_25":26},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_27":28,"_29":30},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[31,75,87],{"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43,"_44":45,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6518081,"mediaKeyId","5399383-f373fbcf6711eaf3aed9ecf3e51ab7b7","parentId",5399383,"title","State audit: CONREP participants reoffend less often but placement delays and oversight gaps persist","audioSeconds",840,"startMs",3056000,"endMs",3896000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5399383-f373fbcf6711eaf3aed9ecf3e51ab7b7&start=3056&end=3896","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5399383-f373fbcf6711eaf3aed9ecf3e51ab7b7/thumbnail_3056000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6518081/California/State-audit-CONREP-participants-reoffend-less-often-but-placement-delays-and-oversight-gaps-persist","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518081-b53af5d44cafce13ed5f961dab04337c/orig.mp4?Expires=1769841268&Signature=iY7RwMeWYu~Vqbgv7bxh~S6KgVoJnKwJu7KKX-DOxl--6tdRqLy72ohC7dRXgTo~yflxPpLgq5sq2TNKb7dxQKXA2eSppKI1VbyamUWCdXX6pN6yeK74U8GdrM-oGh~3FaZFqrWqFnXtyG3lR6uqTjKJnIzxQvajKpQXRAQUy-u2YVSB~wxsba5giGun8-KmOMqT-OpDqUbqtsFhGwBAYeVGTWsdhys4BN3hQ900xAhy4kzHUq0nbk~6Wcpcd3oK7Dq6RkbknnBc3NF3lk8MtJviMWFhpqE5tQ9MHV6aKsDgDHu1kEmGg9QyobAF-E5SnYSOiJi9mt1PPJb~U-rCog__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","California State Assembly","date","2025-07-15T00:00:00Z","article","Grant Parks, the California State Auditor, told the Joint Legislative Audit Committee that his office’s October 2024 audit found CONREP participants convicted of new crimes far less frequently than similarly situated people unconditionally released by the courts.

The audit, Parks said, reviewed CONREP placements from the program’s start in 2003 through April 2024. “Two of the 56 SVPs that were placed in the community under CONREP were convicted of a new offense,” Parks said. “None of the remaining 54 participating SVPs were convicted of new offenses during their time in CONREP.”

Why it matters: The audit presented a mixed picture for public safety. Parks and committee members emphasized that lower conviction rates do not eliminate concerns about program failures, revocations and long delays that keep patients in state hospitals after a court has ordered community placement.

Key audit findings

- Placement and waits: The audit found the state took, on average, about 17 months between a court’s order that an individual participate in CONREP and the court’s approval of the actual housing location. For a separate set of 20 people awaiting placement the average wait was about 20 months; one person had waited about 4½ years. Parks told the panel that “in our view that’s a long time to keep an SVP in the more restrictive environment of state hospitals when a court has already authorized them to be placed in the community.”

- Revocations and convictions: Courts revoked participation and returned 18 of the 56 CONREP participants (roughly 32%) to state hospitals for failures to comply with program terms; some of those later petitioned again and were placed back. Parks said courts more commonly used generic language in revocation orders such as “noncompliance with program rules,” which limited the audit’s ability to analyze specific violations.

- Comparison group: Of 125 people the courts unconditionally released without CONREP participation, 24 were later convicted of new crimes (55 new offenses in total), including 42 felonies; Parks said this rate of convictions was higher than among CONREP participants.

- Costs and housing search: Parks reported that Liberty Healthcare charges up to $2,800 per month for each person awaiting pre-placement services. The audit cited fiscal year 2022–23 housing-search costs of about $485,000 and costs to hold housing under consideration of about $415,000.

- Local participation and committee guidance: State law changed in 2023 to require local housing committees to be consulted on placements. The audit found DSH convened 15 committee meetings in 10 counties from January 2023 to April 2024 but that minutes often lacked detail and local officials did not always understand their roles. Parks said DSH “hadn’t provided clear guidance to local officials on how they could best help.”

- Oversight of Liberty Healthcare: Parks told the committee that most treatment plans for community participants were current at the time of audit, but he identified problems in DSH’s ability to hold Liberty accountable for correcting deficiencies—particularly around electronic document availability and documentation standards. Parks said DSH implemented four of five recommendations; the department declined to implement the auditor’s recommendation to explore state-run transitional housing.

What the auditor did and did not measure

Parks said the audit compared conviction and revocation rates between CONREP participants and an unconditionally released group and reviewed court records, DSH and Liberty documents, and interviews with local committee members in selected counties. He said the audit did not evaluate judicial decision-making—how judges decide specific placement locations.

Evidence and context

The audit report cites program start dates (1996 law allowing civil commitment; community CONREP operations beginning in 2003), the 2023 change requiring local housing committee consultation, and court rulings that changed how certain placement deadlines are measured.

Looking ahead

Parks recommended clearer local guidance, better documentation practices and stronger DSH oversight of Liberty. At the hearing, Parks and committee members pressed for actionable steps to shorten housing wait times and improve accountability without overstating outcomes. The audit’s data and recommendations will inform upcoming legislative and administrative follow-up.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Legislative Audit Committee","oneSentenceSummary","Grant Parks, the California State Auditor, told the Joint Legislative Audit Committee that his office’s October 2024 audit found CONREP participants convicted of new crimes far less frequently than similarly situated people unconditionally released by the courts.","taxTitle","California State Assembly, House, Legislative, California","taxId",17099,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_32":76,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":77,"_40":78,"_42":79,"_44":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6518072,"DSH, Liberty Healthcare defend CONREP operations; DSH says it implemented most audit recommendations and opposes state-run transitional housing",470,5065000,5535000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5399383-f373fbcf6711eaf3aed9ecf3e51ab7b7&start=5065&end=5535","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5399383-f373fbcf6711eaf3aed9ecf3e51ab7b7/thumbnail_5065000.jpg","/articles/6518072/California/DSH-Liberty-Healthcare-defend-CONREP-operations-DSH-says-it-implemented-most-audit-recommendations-and-opposes-state-run-transitional-housing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518072-48ed067a68f850dc7ff5fb1a6085036f/orig.mp4?Expires=1769841268&Signature=DglVrTsDmYPqoqcvMSUum7u1NU-W6cvUB5GaZQCPrfPjf7a8kAzKz5s1I0N33qXtTh5bbmH4cAnvCN3DDktLDvA~~U1154n3oRJfiTOubxIr1wKnr9oUV-D4y632Fl5Rb~pcDek56lS-m4GpoNryv-xqm4gQdJElORkkQrrbwEltqBhbktLDj9uew~ae2~SqmaLWVotGDp55~vUMdGXW4iO7PaVHz508rFIhYgAPyTxHGhvQhen-tvNElV6ABrvPtzsBj7hf8AfPEarJaIqw-r0jabD0u0rwDa1PDdQ6V6VOgBh8aYXM46W4118z1IkCPKIDH-NfFNmV-JCpTgtsqA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Department of State Hospitals Director Stephanie Clendenin and Liberty Healthcare’s senior vice president, Ken Carabello, told the Joint Legislative Audit Committee that DSH and Liberty jointly operate the CONREP program and that the department has moved on most audit recommendations while continuing to oppose state-run transitional housing.

DSH involvement and oversight

“DSH contracts with Liberty Healthcare to operate the CONREP SVP program,” Director Stephanie Clendenin said. “The department is heavily involved in the operation of the program and provides close oversight of Liberty Healthcare in the performance of their duties.” She described multiple review steps—clinical consulting psychologist review, program leadership review, and legal review—before a site assessment is approved to go to the housing committee and the court. Clendenin added that the director’s office signs off internally before submission to the housing committee.

Implementation of audit recommendations

Clendenin told the committee that DSH had implemented four of the five audit recommendations on the auditor’s timeline. Those actions included issuing guidance for housing committee designees (November 2024), conducting a formal program review of Liberty (February 2025) and implementing an outcome tracker in December 2024. DSH also completed an analysis in March 2025 on separating contract services and evaluating whether some contracting activities could be absorbed internally.

Transitional housing: DSH’s objection

Clendenin said the department formally disagreed with the auditor’s recommendation to explore state-owned transitional facilities. She told legislators transitional housing would not solve siting challenges and could increase costs and community opposition. “Siting locations for transitional facilities to house multiple individuals in one facility would not be easier and likely would be more difficult,” she said, noting residency restrictions, evolving school/homeschool locations, and county-of-domicile statutory requirements as barriers.

Liberty’s view and program history

Ken Carabello, the Liberty senior vice president, said Liberty has operated CONREP in California since 2003 and described the program as an intensive, evidence-informed community supervision and treatment model used in multiple states. “Liberty is proud of its work as a partner to the state of California for these last 22 years,” Carabello said.

Procurement and vendor interest

Clendenin and chief deputy director Chris Edens said the department has repeatedly solicited other vendors—multiple solicitations in 2015, 2022 and 2023—and issued requests for information to try to split services (for example, separating the housing search from treatment and supervision). Edens said the department received little vendor interest, partly because the program is small in scale and politically high-profile.

Oversight gaps acknowledged

Clendenin acknowledged problems the auditor raised, including Liberty’s electronic document repository shortcomings and uneven documentation practices. She said DSH conducted a formal program review and implemented a process to track outcomes from reviews and program monitoring on an ongoing basis.

What DSH and Liberty said will change

DSH will conduct formal program reviews every two years going forward and track corrective actions via the outcome tracker. DSH and Liberty also told the committee they will respond to specific allegations of misleading landlord outreach and other misconduct if members provide details for investigation.

What remains unresolved

DSH maintains that state-run transitional facilities would not be a workable fix under current law and that statutory changes would likely be required to make such facilities viable. DSH and Liberty also said they will continue to pursue splitting some services but face market constraints on finding alternate vendors.","Department of State Hospitals Director Stephanie Clendenin and Liberty Healthcare senior vice president Ken Carabello told lawmakers they work closely on placements, said DSH implemented four of five audit recommendations and explained why DSH opposes creating state-run transitional housing.",{"_32":88,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":89,"_40":90,"_42":91,"_44":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6518077,"Legislators from rural districts press to pause CONREP placements, push for transitional housing and new laws",805,2655000,3460000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5399383-f373fbcf6711eaf3aed9ecf3e51ab7b7&start=2655&end=3460","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5399383-f373fbcf6711eaf3aed9ecf3e51ab7b7/thumbnail_2655000.jpg","/articles/6518077/California/Legislators-from-rural-districts-press-to-pause-CONREP-placements-push-for-transitional-housing-and-new-laws","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518077-a014f78a5588a44e0dc297d599e3f971/orig.mp4?Expires=1769841268&Signature=Kb~qTiSqoBdBbydTZrkN77W1blKwD~h3wWtYPtCZbIcYCnR57bDN00HWqQWaOHp~aMU8V2UahKZCzHtxor5~nm7y17cH3aksRk6Lpxv~Y8N~g~5e-lNZ1DO9Rq9S2ysimiswcsDYJog9frK4Wy1ynWzXLyupmJpSUeCjDDl07DneM3Fnkkbc9E7Elh6arW3NV5vN55mlZ0eAQHwm2VFoseq5evz0yMZvNsX7bJBTsGv3yvTDDkNO3rHnPZesSt0kfCkqMIkZG1trVklaH9zZfH~jyNUAa0oUHvfTMw336b~iMMO9m~lm7qqQmFsCs~a-Gicr5LfRYLwp3JsCBpZrPw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lawmakers representing communities that have received multiple CONREP placements told the Joint Legislative Audit Committee the program is failing their constituents and urged rapid reforms.

Assemblymember Eduardo Carrillo said his High Desert district had three CONREP placements and described constituent confusion about how an out-of-state vendor was selected to help locate housing. “There seems to be ambiguity on how the process works,” Carrillo said. He asked whether the state could restart placement contracting through a new RFP that would allow in-state vendors to bid.

Senator Jones called the system “broken.” “If you add those two convicted and the 18 people who were returned to the Department of State Hospitals…that’s actually a 37 percent failure rate,” he said, arguing the program needs “serious reforms.”

Assemblymember DeMaio said the title of the auditor’s report risked misleading readers and urged stronger action, including temporary suspension of placements: “Stop placing ******** violent predators in residential communities,” she said, calling on Governor Newsom to act by executive order if necessary.

Why it matters: Several lawmakers said placements were repeatedly concentrated in particular counties or regions — notably parts of San Diego County and the Antelope Valley — and that rural areas lacked services and fast law enforcement response times.

Specific requests and proposals

- Transitional housing: Senator Jones and others said a state-run transitional housing option could serve as an intermediate placement while community housing searches proceed; Parks recommended studying state-owned transitional housing but DSH declined to adopt it.

- Legislation: Senator Jones said he has a bill (SP 380) in Assembly Appropriations that would require DSH to consider developing a transitional housing program. Lawmakers signaled bipartisan support for exploring statutory fixes to address county-of-domicile rules and extraordinary-circumstances processes.

- Vendor and procurement scrutiny: Several members asked whether Liberty Healthcare’s long-standing contract (Liberty has run the CONREP program in California since 2003) should be reexamined, and questioned whether landlords and neighbors had been adequately informed about placements.

Community impacts described

Legislators representing rural districts described long sheriff response times, limited behavioral-health resources, and homeowner and neighborhood pushback when placements were announced. Assemblymember Carrillo said communities felt “like we keep getting these individuals.” Senator Valladares added that in some rural parts a routine call can take hours for law enforcement to respond.

What legislators asked for next

Members signaled plans for follow-up: potential statutory fixes to SB 1034’s extraordinary-circumstances provisions, support for targeted bills such as SP 380 on transitional housing, and continued oversight to test whether DSH and Liberty implement audit recommendations. Several speakers asked the governor and state agencies to act quickly if local conditions continue to show concentrated placements and public-safety risk.","Several state senators and assemblymembers whose districts include the High Desert and Antelope Valley said repeated placements of conditional-release participants have concentrated risk in their communities and urged statutory changes, program suspension or development of transitional housing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

State audit: CONREP participants reoffend less often but placement delays and oversight gaps persist

DSH, Liberty Healthcare defend CONREP operations; DSH says it implemented most audit recommendations and opposes state-run transitional housing

Legislators from rural districts press to pause CONREP placements, push for transitional housing and new laws